Conan visits with a young talented actress
Claire Danes
Transcribed by K. Arai
Conan(C): How are you?
Claire Danes(D): I'm alright...
C: Well, it's nice to see you..
D: Nice to see you. It's pleasure to be here.
C: Well, thank you. I think you mean that.
D: I do, I do!
C: Great. I was just in Los Angels, actually Andy and I were both in
Los Angels doing some stuff last week. And I got this invitation to go
to the Playboy mansion one night.
D: But I didn't see you there.
C: Well, because I couldn't go, I was working that night and I was
leaving so I couldn't go...
D: You have to make a point of going.
C: You went, right?
D: Oh my gosh. I went kind of I went. I brought my friend Miya from
school and I was with my boyfriend, and I called Scott who my friend who
directed Mod Squad wondering if you wanted to go to dinner and he said
he's going to Hugh Hefner's house and so I was totally inspired. So I brought
my innocent Miya to the Playboy mansion...
C: I have read about the Playboy mansion since I was like ten years
old, dreamed about the Playboy mansion. I'm still dreaming about the Playboy
mansion right now I'm speaking to you. You went! Tell us all because we
haven't been there. What was it like?
D: It's xanadu, totally. Like it's the most fascinating place. But
it's surprisingly non threatening, it was sort of like sex Disneyland?
C: (burst into laugh)The best kind of Disneyland!! (very cheerfully)Yay!
I like this! I imagine it's like a topless hall of the president.
D: Well, it was kind of a cliche, but totally satisfying, like there
was Hugh and his red robe and pipe...
C: He really does that?
D: Yeah and many many bottoms. It was great.
C: Not real women just ceramic bottoms that he has around for his amusement.
D: They were real. Believe me, I think.
C: So there women walking around wearing what?
D: Ah, you know roller skates nothing. Ah, some were wet, some were
dry, so to speak. (sudden laugh from the audience) But no I mean it was
really great there was like a game room.... that was my favorite part.
C: What's in the game room?
D: Well, it was exciting like... I mean it's totally second 1983 but
there was Pacman, and Frogger... there was a pinball machine that had you
know Hugh's image splashed all of it.
C: Did any one tell you that no one plays Pacman anymore?
D: I was enjoying it. I was good at... you know informed him that it
was... but scared of Nintendo.
C: I remember when I was kid reading about James Karn and James Karn
apparently has the record, I'm gonna get sued now for like slandering him
or beaten senseless I hope the latter. James Karn has the record for sleeping
with like the most consecutive Playboy bunnies that he would always be
there. You didn't see James Karn.
D: I saw him there. He was in like the backgammon room. He was there
in fine form...He was playing backgammon with his son and they were having
a really intense conversation about bant cake, I remember.
C: What?
D: And I was really thrilled. I don't know. They were just taking about
bant cake.
C: That is such a let down. It is like "You saw James Karn what was
he doing, what was he talking about? Discussing bant cake with his son."
What a drag.
Andy: What was he saying?
D: I don't know I think he was telling a joke....I don't know. All
I caught was bant cake, I was like you know...
C: And you said I 'm getting out of here. Is it fun though at the end
of the day did you have a good time?
D: Yeah, totally. I met Oscar De La Foiyo which is a total thrill and...
C: What was he doing there, just hanging out?
D: He was hanging out with his wife who was pregnant, and was very
beautiful and he was fell in love...
C: I think that's an odd thing to take your pregnant wife, saying "Let's
go check out the chicks at the Playboy mansion!"
D: I know it's a little strange but they seem very comfortable and
I was very happy to meet him.
C: Ah, you also, you met a hero of yours recently.
D: I did indeed. Deborah Harry, my total heroine. And so while ago
we actually a little while ago we went to a nsm club...
C: You tell great stories, by the way. You do not dissapoint every
single story. It's really "I heard you went to buy a cookie the other day.
Yes, I did and on my way I saw a stripper."
D: We did and it was vinyl night, you are only let to wear vinyl. But
because you were with Debby who's like the queen of that world it was ok.
But it was really exciting. John Horn's son was on the stage
C: Famous porn actor.
D: Famous porn actor,you know, Bogey nights that's lead character was
based on him. But he was just sitting on the stage, actually standing,
reading newspaper and fondling his penis. Very peculiar...
C: Is that part of the entertainment or is he killing time? I mean,
"I think I'll just check out the sports page and take care of little business."
What's going on? (wild applause from the audience) I was just curious.
I've never been to one of these clubs.
D: All he does is performance act. And it was great I was like dancing
and glancing at this peculious scene on stage.
C: (Sarcastically)Glancing. "Interesting!(imitates dancing and glancing)"
D: There was a cage where like audience member could.. well it's not,
it was a club it's not receded or anything but different people in the
audience could stand and transsexual would attack you.
C: Wait. It's as part of the, you can get into the cage if you want.
And people would attack you? Are they in the cage with you, or do they
poke you like through the cage?
D:You know, make fun of you and call your names and....
C: I would like that, actually.
D: Yeah, I was for with the idea of jumping in myself, but I decided
to abstain.
C: Now how do you leave a party like that?
D: Well, I was kind of tired actually and it was overwhelming so I
said to Debby I was like you know I think I better go I think this is so
much, this is great experience. And she was like "No, Claire you can't
go. They haven't had sex yet on stage." I was like "what?" you know, they
were not even fully naked, they haven't you know not nearly closed to having
intercourse.
C: Ah, you went to a Marylin Manson concert recently. I'm getting all
my favorite topics done here but I understand you were at the concert where
he got hurt which everyone's talking about.
D: It was pretty bizarre. Kind of amazing. It actually was sweet because
where I was sitting I could see Rose Magazine, his girl friend.
C: Wait, I wanna here how this is sweet!
D: I think, I guess he is surprisingly normal fella.
C: You mean he gets out of his system on stage but the rest of time?
D: There was something, I don't know. But Rose Magazine was like clearly
infatuated with him and he was so aggressive and confrontational when he
was singing to the audience and he would sneak at few peeks at Rose and
they would have this little, you know, sweet exchange and his face was
sort of melt, and I was getting this great perspective of the scene, it
was hilarious.
C: That is so weird to think him like, you know,sticking his tongue
(imitating Manson)and turning to his girlfriend like (throwing kisses)"I'll
be home a little late. Feed the cat."
D: It was very much like that.
C: But he got hurt on...
D: Well, yeah, I mean, he jumped on the speaker and jumped off and
he's wearing five feet, five foot platform and he just tripped sprained
his ankle, that was the end of the show. It was such a, you know, a let-down.
I mean, I was ready for an overdose or something, but he was just tripped
and fell. Manson just got a boo-boo.
C: And then they come on the loud speaker "The show has been canceled
Marylin Manson has a boo-boo!"
D: I thought like he should've really been hard-core like sung in a
wheel chair something, finish the show.
C: He just said I'm screwed I'm out of here.
D: Yeah, he was done.
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